


from a picture perfect start

by curvasud



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-22 22:32:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/918787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curvasud/pseuds/curvasud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Artwork for robespierre's 2013 paperlegends fic "More Than Just a Pair of Sinking Ships."</p>
            </blockquote>





	from a picture perfect start

**Author's Note:**

> I enjoyed working on this fic so much that I ended up creating over 40 graphics! Here I have selected only a few for display; to see all of the artwork embedded in the text, please read, enjoy, and give lots of love to robespierre's fic [More Than Just a Pair of Sinking Ships](http://archiveofourown.org/works/924125).

*

Heading for his phone on its charger in the living room, he almost tripped over his laptop. He settled into his favorite spot on the couch, reached for his phone, and sat the laptop next to him.  
  
No texts about the dog, no emails, nothing. Just one message from Morgana:  


*

That evening, Arthur noticed Gwen’s facebook status.  


Was she trying to confuse him? Did she actually think that complete silence made for a fantastic anniversary? Or was she being more immature than some of his students and trying to get him to argue with her in the very public forum that was facebook?

He longed for the Gwen he had married when he was twenty-three. She never would have fought with him about something as stupid as breakfast.

*

Arthur’s relationship with facebook had changed quite a bit since he began using it as a twenty-one-year-old. Then, it was all booze and parties and football scores. He and his friends had watched (and commented) as they all graduated, interviewed, and eventually found jobs. Today, as his friends had all “grown up,” it was full of baby pictures, status updates about babies, and potty training progress. It was disgusting.  
  
This meant that logging into facebook was more habit than anything else. Check for new notifications and messages, scroll quickly through status updates, then log out. Tonight he had two notifications:  


*

Before Arthur could even minimize his Internet browser, he’d received an invitation to videochat. As soon as he accepted, Merlin’s face filled the screen.  
  
“Merlin, what’s wrong?”  
  
He looked totally unlike himself. Instead of his usual neat polo or button-up, Merlin was wearing a faded blue sweatshirt with a frayed collar and a hole in the left shoulder seam. His eyes were red. It was obvious that he had been crying.  
  
From the little Arthur could see of the bedroom, it looked as though Merlin had been crying for quite a while. The desktop was littered with used tissues.  
  
“Merlin, did something happen? Are you all right?”  


*

He heard the annoying buzz of another voice mail notification and decided to finally just check them. After all, he hadn’t so much as glanced at his phone for the last five days.  
  
Every text, missed call, and message was from Merlin.  


*

He had no idea how long he had been standing there on the pedestrian bridge, waiting for Merlin and the answer that was going to change his life, one way or the other. It was almost midnight, and he was starting to panic.  
  
He had sent Merlin all over the city, backtracking when it would have been easier to just visit each location in some sort of order. However, part of his goal had been to give Merlin the chance to really enjoy the city. He hoped that Merlin had appreciated it. God, he hoped Merlin wasn’t annoyed or angry with him. Had he come on too strong? Had he seemed desperate and needy, or even laughable to Merlin?  
  
There was nothing to do but wait and hope that he showed up. 

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [the_muppet](http://the-muppet.livejournal.com/) for her superb work in organizing this big bang and for continuing to inspire creativity and collaboration in Merlin fandom. My gratitude as well to [robespierre](http://robespierre.livejournal.com/) for her indefatigable patience, support, and beautiful words—et de partager mon amour de Paris. :)


End file.
